By Cassandra FairbanksAnthony Fauci has said that it was "horrifying" hearing the crowd at the Conservative Political Action conference cheering for comments against vaccines.
Speaking to CNN's Jake Tapper on Sunday's episode of State of the Union, Fauci also said that he supports schools and businesses mandating the controversial COVID-19 vaccines.
"It's horrifying. I mean, they are cheering about someone saying that it's a good thing for people not to try and save their lives," Fauci said in reaction to a speech by conservative author Alex Berenson.
Fauci went on to say it's "almost frightening" that a large amount of the public does not want health officials to "save their life."
"I mean, if you just unpack that for a second, Jake, it's almost frightening to say, 'Hey, guess what, we don't want you to do something to save your life,'" Fauci said.
"Yay. Everybody starts screaming and clapping. I just don't get that," he continued. "I don't think that anybody who is thinking clearly can get that. What is that all about? I don't understand that, Jake."
Berenson had drawn a large round of applause during his speech when he said, "the government was hoping that they could sort of sucker 90 percent of the population into getting vaccinated — and it isn't happening."
Discussing former Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' support for requiring vaccines for schools and businesses, Fauci was all in. He said that Americans can expect more mandates when the vaccines get formal approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
“So these vaccines are as good as officially approved with all the i's dotted and the t's crossed. It hasn't been done yet because the FDA has to do certain things, but it's as good as done,” Fauci said. “So people should really understand that. But they are waiting now until you get an official approval before. And I think when you do see the official approval, Jake, you are going to see a lot more mandates.”
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